I noticed this keystone figurehead while strolling the Ladies Mile portion of Sixth Avenue. She resides at 675, the historic Adams & Co. Building, now home to Trader Joe’s. Like most of the showiest ornamentation along this stretch of buildings, she is perched near the top of the second floor, intended to impress the passengers of the elevated train that once ran along this avenue around the turn of the last century.

Over ten years ago I stumbled upon the same visage, albeit a bit smaller, in the trash room of my apartment building in Brooklyn. My husband and I lugged the new treasure up to our living room. She moved with us to New Jersey and now emerges from the garage each spring to nestle among the hostas around our patio.

Although her gaze differs between the two, her headpiece is nearly identical and very distinctive. Could someone please shed some light on the identity of this mystery lady?